


Treason

by zelsbels



Category: Original Work
Genre: Crimes & Criminals, Other, Trains, criminals on a train i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:21:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26528149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zelsbels/pseuds/zelsbels
Summary: Maddie and Alex live in an area where marriage is illegal -- all marriage.  Maddie wants to be with Alex, her nonbinary partner, more than anything, and is willing to take down their oppressive government to do it.  The two are already criminals on the lam, so what's a little treason when you're already wanted?
Kudos: 1





	Treason

“Oh, come on. Just a little treason?” She asked, her eyes alight.

“No, Maddie.” Came the reply, sounding more than a little bored.

“Aw, you’re no fun.” Maddie pouted, crossing her arms under her chest and flopping against the back of her seat.

“I’ve told you before, if we get caught for treason, we’ll be hanged.” They explained.

“But it’s fun. And we’re criminals already, why not incite some treason? Add some fun into the mix.”

“Being a thief isn’t the same as being treasonous. At the most, we’ll be sentenced to prison. But if we go the treason route…” They sighed.

Maddie pursed her lips, contemplating their words. “Alright. But I’ll have you know, I hate our leaders. They’re unfair, and they need to be taken down.”

“They’re unfair for what? Upholding the laws?”

“For not making things easier for us to survive. I mean, the only reason we steal is because we have to. And now we’re wanted criminals for it.”

“I would hardly count robbing a jewelry store ‘necessary.’”

“Don’t you like your gifts? Doesn’t it make you feel pretty?”

The train they were sitting in jostled a bit on the tracks, and they fell into a hushed silence.

“I do.” They said after a while.

“See? That’s what I–”

“But. I also liked where we were. We could have had a clean start. Now we’re on the run. Again.”

Maddie glanced at the ground, her hands falling into her lap to fiddle with the hem of her skirts.

“I just did it because I thought you’d appreciate them. I saw how you eyed those pearls.”

“I didn’t need them, though. And I do appreciate them, and the gesture, but we can’t steal needlessly. We only take what we need.” Auburn hair fell into their eyes, and they brushed it away.

“But, Alex…” Maddie pleaded. “I just wanted you to feel nice…”

Alex’s smile was reassuring. “I understand. But we can’t do that anymore. Next town we hit, we have to go straight. We can’t just steal anymore. We have enough money for a house,” They patted the hefty bag next to them, “We can live together for real. We don’t have to be criminals.”

“But I like the life we have now.” Maddie pleaded. “I like the way things are.”

Alex’s smile turned sympathetic. “I know you did.”

The train came to a sudden halt. Distantly, they heard voices and car doors being flung open.

Maddie’s eyes widened with excitement. “Are we going to have a shootout?”

“No, Maddie. We’re going to escape.” Alex hauled the money bag and her luggage up, gesturing for Maddie to do the same. The two listened carefully. Doors were being opened from both sides of the train. Alex looked up, and looked down. There was no door on the roof, but there was a hatch on the bottom.

The doors being opened were closing in, slowly albeit surely.

Alex threw the hatch door open, tossing their bags down, then gesturing for Maddie to hand her bags over. Maddie hesitated, looking anxiously between the doors and Alex.

“But the excitement…”

“Will come after. Come, Maddie. We don’t have much time.”

Maddie relented, handing her bags over, but drawing her pistol anyway.

“Maddie, what–”

“I’m going to keep you safe, Alex.”

“Oh, no, you don’t.” Alex grabbed Maddie and yanked her down the hatch, closing the door after them just before the footsteps approached. Alex held their hand over Maddie’s mouth, and the pair heard the doors fly open. 

“Boss said there were stowaways… But I don’t see anyone.”

“Just shut the fucking door already. Maybe they’re in the next car.”

The doors slammed shut.

Maddie subconsciously sidled closer to Alex, her green eyes wide with excitement. Alex pushed the hatch open again, and Maddie climbed back into the train car. The two worked as a team to bring the bags back into the train, then Maddie helped Alex back in.

Alex and Maddie kept their footsteps light as they moved through the car. The two stayed silent, not speaking for fear that the guards would hear them.

The pair arranged their bags into the positions they were in before, and Alex sank into her seat, across the table from Maddie.

After she was sure the guards weren’t coming back, Alex said, “So what brought on the treason talk?”

“Oh well, you know how I feel about the government.”

“Yes, I do. You are quite the anarchist.”

“And you know how I feel about you.”

“Yes, I do. You are quite in love with me.”

“So I got to thinking…”

“A dangerous thing for a woman to do, indeed.”

“…And I figured, if we fought the government, we could be together.”

“Why not just be together anyway? Stick it to them.”

“I mean….” Maddie’s face flushed a deep scarlet.

“Oh. Oh.”

From her pocket, Maddie produced an intricate gold ring.

“Alex, I love you. More than anything. And I want nothing more than to be with you, in every sense of the word.”

It was Alex’s turn to blush. “Maddie…”

“Alex, I want to marry you.” Maddie slipped the ring onto Alex’s finger. “If… If you’ll have me, that is.”

They beamed at each other, now reduced to a mess of giggles.

“So this is why you want to commit treason? A marriage?”

“Yes.”

“Fine. Just a little treason.”

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on tumblr, moving it to here because I plan on deleting my writing blog after moving my works here.


End file.
